Insert standard paragraph about how it has been so long since I updated all of you on life and art and lets just jump right into business!

Fellowship of Highway 95

As many of you may know, back in March, fellow artist and long time friend, Francesca Berrini and I won Atlas Obscura's Fellowship of Highway 95 competition. We hit the road for 11 days to see where this Nevada highway would lead us and we weren't disappointed. Atlas Obscura did a beautiful job recapping our adventures and interpreting the art we made along the way. Click the links to learn more! For now, I will leave you with my favorite piece, an image I took at Fort Churchill State Park that Francesca hand drew an ichthyosaur on. Fun fact, the ichthyosaur also happens to be Nevada's state fossil!

Soaked Film Experiments

While on our road trip, I decided to have a little fun with some old rolls of 35mm film I had laying around. Over the course of the trip, I would dip rolls of film I had finished shooting in various water sources we found along the way. After letting each roll soak for a week, I rinsed and dried them and had them developed. The results were some of the most beautiful and vivid colors I have ever seen. Here are just a few of my favorites.

International Forest of Last Church, film soaked in snow

Landscape near Fish Lake Hot Well, film dipped in hot spring water

Landscape just outside of Goldfield, NV, film soaked in snow

Random salt flat, film dipped in water from Walker Lake

Still Getting Weird with Mannequins

I also happen to sell prints if you are interested in sprucing up your walls. I'm working on getting my shit together to promote this more. But if you want to be ahead of the game you can find prints here. The mannequin series makes for some pretty sweet bathroom art if you ask me.

Gearing Up For Wedding Season

Last year included some really fun portrait ideas, do you notice a theme. I'm excited to see what this year brings.

Lets Do a Shoot!

I've still got some time in my calendar this summer for some fun shoots! Want portraits, images to promote your business or just feel like getting a little crazy. Hit me up! As I have said before, my unique style is designed to fit a variety of needs! Drop me a line!

I even have some sweet new thumb drives with my logo on them. I was thrilled when USB Memory Direct messaged me to see if I was interested in testing out their product! I love delivering images to clients on thumb drives and these puppies have been the perfect personalized touch!

Wow, it has been a really long time since I have provided an update and I have so much fun stuff to share so lets jump right in!

Recent Press:

It has been a whirlwind the last few months and I am so excited to share with you that my project, Drive-In America, has gone on a little world wide adventure in the press and the book is completely sold out! For those interested, prints are still available for purchase and I've started offering prints on metal. These come ready to hang, show off the color of the images beautifully and are a million times easier to clean and store compared to glass frames. To celebrate, enjoy 10% any drive-in prints that are purchased now through June 3oth. Just use the code TENOFF!

Did you know I build Squarespace websites?

I love, love, love working with small businesses and creatives! Over the last few years it has come to my attention that I have more to offer them on top of beautiful photographs. Empowering people to follow their dreams is one of my favorite things. I'm totally that person who hears someone talk about their passion and the wheels start turning in my head wondering how we can make that passion into a living! As I worked with business owners to develop strong and powerful images for their websites, I kept hearing the same frustrations they were all having trying to build their own sites or working with web designers. Shit, I had the same frustrations just a few years prior. As I was raving about Squarespace to a few clients, one of them finally asked, 'will you just design my website and then teach me how to keep it updated' and a lightbulb went off. Here are a few sites I have design recently. I also updated the style of my own site a the beginning of the year. If you know someone looking for help with the website, please send them my way!

Searching for Fun Families!

Family photos don't have to be a drag! Why not capture some action that is a little closer to the reality of everyday life? I still have a few openings for summer portraits so, if food fights, silly string wars, pools full of soapy bubbles, or water balloon fights sound up your family or some one you knows alley, hit me up! Kids not required to be a fun loving family! And before you get worried, no kids were harmed in the making of the below photo ;)

For the last few months I had really been slacking creatively. I have been doing a ton of freelance work which is fun and I love the challenges and changes of it but I've been letting my personal projects slip a bit. Not for lack of ideas but lack of motivation so, when I received an email from Light asking me to be one of the bloggers participating in their #VantagePoint project, I jumped at the opportunity (and the kick in the ass to get my ideas out of my head!) For those who don't know, Light is creating a new palm sized camera (think the size of your smart phone but packing way more photographic power) called the L16. According to their description, "each scene captured by the Light L16 Camera is shot by up to 10 of 16 individual 28mm, 70mm, and 150mm camera modules firing simultaneously." All of these shots are then fused together to make one amazing image.

As anyone who follows my photography knows, my style is by no means documentary. I prefer to take an image that is floating around my mind and build it into reality. This means selecting a location, choosing a color pallet, and bringing in props and lights to create what I want. For this image, I knew I wanted to shoot in my newly remodeled bathroom. I wanted to contrast the stark white of the subway tiles, tub, and mannequin legs with bright pink bath water, a yellow mini High Life beer bottle someone had brought to our house and teal toes on my mannequin. Now that the scene was staged, the next step was to get the perfect shot.

So, what makes a good vantage point? Well, that depends on your instincts as a photographer. There is no hard and fast rule to it but I approach it with the following ideas in mind:

1) Point of View: I always consider the viewer and how they will perceive the images. For this particular shot, as with many of my images in Disconnected, I am poking fun at social media and selfie trends, in this case the bathtub selfie which by they way I will never understand. Am I the only clumsy person who would immediately drop their phone into the tub? I was horrified of dropping my camera in during this shoot. But, back to my point. When setting up this shot, I knew I wanted the point of view to feel like it was coming from the 'person' taking the bath. However, had I shot this from outside of the tub, that could produce a sense of voyerism in the viewer giving the image an entirely different feel.

2) Uncontrollable Variables: No matter what I am shooting, there undoubtedly is always at least one unforeseen, uncontrollable variable that changes how I shoot. In most cases, there are more than one of these instances, but hey, that is the fun of it! For this shoot I had several things working against me. First, bath balms are slippery. Second, don't drop your camera into impending water doom of a thousand deaths when you slide on said slippery bath balm. And third and most restrictive to my vantage point was the fact that mannequins float. Why I never remember this I can't say and you safely bet that the next time I do a water shoot, I will forget this simply fact again. Since the legs wanted to float and that didn't jive with the vision I had in my head, I had to sit in the tub and clench the mannequin legs with my thighs while holding them down with one hand and shooting with the other. I would say picture this but you don't have to because I was kind enough to make a time lapse video of this hilarious and creepy event. I'm not sure the video does justice to how difficult this truly was. I couldn't move and had to splash bubbles away with my foot to reveal the pretty pink water that was vital to this shot while still clenching the mannequin with my thighs and not dropping my camera into the water.

3) Try It All: Before adding the water to the tub, I placed my mannequin roughly where I wanted it and tried shooting a bunch of different angles. I go into each shoot with a vision in mind but I like to try as many angles as possible because you never know, you might just end up with something better than you imagined. In this case, I had poked my foot up for a funny behind the scenes shot but when all was said and done, that ended up being my favorite and final image of the shoot.

So there you have it, a little glimpse into the magic or a lot of glimpses into living my life as a creep but that is what is so fun about being an artist!

Seriously, where is this year going? It has been full of amazing things but how is it already mid August! Anyhow, here are a few of the awesome things I have been doing:

Amazing Clients:

Pacific Northwest College of Art

In May, I had the privilege of work with my alma mater to update their Look Book images. Since my graduation back in 2012, PNCA has moved into the old 501 post office building on NW Broadway. It was really fun getting to see the new space, even if I was admittedly a little (ok a lot) jealous of the new facilities.

There is so much happening in our world and there is a serious need for open discussions on topics that can be hard to talk about if we want progress. The Color of NOW's is, offering a safe platform for those discussions to happen while mixing in art. Their goal is to offer "a multimedia lecture/discussion series that stimulates individual growth and community health by offering a robust education designed to eradicate systems of oppression in the U.S." I was so honored to document one of their lectures focusing on "The Visibility of Privilege." I highly recommend following their Facebook page and if you are in the Portland area, attending one of their events.

Cody

Cody contacted me wanting to do an Old Hollywood inspired shoot, which clearly, is right up my alley! I teamed up with hair and makeup goddess, Alix Zimmermann and we had one of the most entertaining shoots ever. This girl was so fun to work with and I can't wait for November to roll around because we already have a hilarious holiday card shoot on the books!

I have been working with The Get Ahead almost since their inception. I love this band and it was so much fun going into the recording studio with them as they worked on their new album with producer, Son Little. I can't wait to hear all of the new tracks!

Features:

My series, Disconnected, is showcased next to several other amazing artists in the most recent issue of UK based, #Photography Magazine. You can also check out an interview with me on their blog to learn a little bit more about this project.

A few months ago, USA Today, asked me to submit my 20 favorite drive-ins to be compiled with submissions from a few other "experts," to create a contest for the 10 Best Drive-In Theatres in the U.S.A. While I wish I knew every single drive-in that was out there, I was happy to submit selections from my own experience and research. I'm sure several amazing ones were missed but hopefully the article brought attention to ALL drive-in theatres out there. I am also please to say that 99W Drive-In, in Newberg, Oregon, where the inspiration for my book Drive-In America started, got voted #1!

Personal Life:

It hasn't been all work and no play. I have had some awesome adventures the last few month!

In May, we took a trip to the Bahama's with my best friends from Iowa. I decided to go for a full week of zero responsibilities. I unplugged completely. No phone, no laptop, and no camera. Just awesome people, drinks, and tons of swimming!

Once we got back from the Bahamas, I hit the ground running and have mostly been working for the last two months but I managed to squeeze in a few adventures on the tail end of a work trip to Bend, OR. This is a pic from my 7 mile hike around Smith Rock!

I was also able to hit up this amazing hot spring just south of Bend! The lake was freezing but the hot springs were just right and the view was breathtaking. We also drank an entire box of wine while soaking. It was a damn good day!

That is it for now. I hope all of you are having an amazing summer. And, as always, if you are looking to do some fun, crazy, and amazing photo shoots, hit me up!

I am pleased to report that the release party for Drive-In Americawas a huge success! Thank you to all who came out and to those who showed their support from afar. By now, most of you who order online should have gotten your books in the mail. It has been amazing checking my email and getting updates and photos from everyone as their books arrive!

It has been a long crazy road the last three years as this project transformed from a dream to reality. Today might be small business Saturday but as you have all proven, you can take the vital step to support small businesses 365 days a year. I have said it before but I will say it again and again, thank you! There are a handful of books left if you are interested in getting a copy for yourself or as a gift this holiday season.

Thank you Juliet for snapping this photo as I signed books. I of course was a horrible photographer and didn't take and photographs at the release party.

This fitting memory popped up in my Facebook feed just two days after the release. Taken two years ago at Hilltop Drive-In located in Joliet, Illinois. This was the first drive-in theatre I ever photographed.

The time has finally come! Mark your calendars and please join me in celebrating the release of my first book, Drive-In America. Be among the first to own this hard bound, 92 page collection of photographs from my journey across the country in search of these disappearing American icons. There will be snacks, drinks, and good times to be had.

Guarantee a Copy:

Only 100 copies in the first edition, guarantee yours! Drive-In America will be released November 22, 2015. All pre-sales can be picked up in person at the book release party. If you plan to pick up locally, please use the code "LocalPickup" so you aren't charged for shipping. For those who can't make it, orders will ship November 23, 2015.

What a crazy two months it has been! Lots of big and exciting life things are happening. I hope to share all of it with everyone soon but for now, here is a photo packed update with all the fun shoots I have been working on!

Beach Wedding:

With wedding season fast approaching, I was really excited to head to the beach with Josh & Sasha for some post wedding portraits. These two love birds were married last summer at the beach. As many of you who ever have been married know, wedding days can be hectic. Their photographer captured amazing portraits on their big day but before Sasha sent off her dress to be preserved, we decided to put it to good use one more time. Without the stress of a timeline (other than the sunsetting) we were able to have a carefree shoot that adds a nice touch to their wedding album.

Awesome Clients!

I love working with entrepreneurs! Seeing a person jump in full force to follow their dreams is invigorating. Being able to help them show the world their passion & brand through images is one of my favorite things. Here are just a few of my awesome clients!

I have had the pleasure of seeing this talented blogger through my lens on several occasions recently. Sasha contacted me after being approached by Inkspired Magazine. They wanted to do a feature on her craft & her beautiful tattoos in their upcoming issue. We wanted to wow her potential new audience as well as her current devoted fans with a fresh new look. It had been over two years since our first shoot for her blog and as brands tend to do, Tattooed Martha had grown and evolved tremendously over that time. We decided to really capture Sasha's humorous, messy, cupcake & booze loving personality and couple it with the bright vibrant colors she surrounds her life with.

Swedish jewelry designer Johanna Dalin & I found one another on Instagram. Oh how I love how Instagram allows one to connect easily with creative from all over the world. Johanna was working on a new line that was all about body parts call "Parts of Me, Parts of You." Since I have had my own obsession with body parts in my mannequin series, it was obvious that we were the perfect match for one another. With Johanna's signature style being creepy but cute, I highlighted her jewelry by using bold color schemes, a touch of vintage flair, & various mannequin parts coupled with human models.

Izzy has been a long time client of mine & the best massage therapist I have ever had. The last several months, Izzy & his business partner Shane have been revamping their website & business model to approach massage as a continual process & necessity to self care. Setting up membership plans that allow you to treat yourself & your body to the healing strength of massage without breaking your bank account. Their website had a clean & modern black & white look. We wanted to create images that reflected that same look while also showcasing their fun, laid back personalities so clients.

More Mannequins:

Even when life gets crazy, you know I can't help finding some time to get a little weird with my mannequins. Here is what I have been up to lately.

Drive-In America Book Update:

Things are still moving forward with the book. I have everything passed off to my designer, we started to pick out fonts & all that fun stuff last week. It is really exciting seeing it all come together and I can't wait to hold a copy in my hands! A few major life events have caused me to adjust my release date. I figure if I am going to do it, I need to make sure I am doing it right. We are now looking at an October release and I feel very confident that nothing else will stand in the way of making that happen!

Book Update:

The Spud Drive-In, operational theatre in Driggs, Idaho.

It's all coming together! This past week has I have made huge steps in getting the book out for my hopeful July release. I found a printer, met with my designer, and I am really close to having the order of the images in the book nailed down! Now to write the text, which oddly might be the hardest part of this entire venture. Once everything is closer to being sent off to the printers I will announce an official release date, so keep your eyes peeled.

Upcoming Shows:

In other news, I am excited to announce my acceptance into a wonderful group show next month. My photograph "Emerging" will be part of LightBox Photographic's PDX 40 show. This exhibit will be featuring work from 40 Portland, Oregon photographers selected by juror Blue Mitchell, founder of One Twelve Publishing and publisher of Diffusion Magazine. The show opening is Saturday April 11th 6-9pm. If you are in the Pacific Northwest area, take a day trip to the coast in Astoria, Oregon and stop into the gallery!

Hawaii:

Our trip to The Big Island of Hawaii was nothing short of amazing. Best vacation ever! I'm terrible at taking vacation photos so I made being a tourist a bit more interesting with a bag of hands and wigs.

Obligatory PDX carpet photo

The road to paradise as we drive from Hilo to Kona.

Sulfur pits

Akaka Falls

Lava rock in Volcano National Park

Green Sands Beach

Chain of Craters Road, Volcano National Park

Goodbye paradise

Spring Special:

Winter is officially over! Sure we still have some rain in store for us or chances of snow for those of you in colder parts of the country but the days are getting longer and flowers are blooming! That means more time for photo shoots! Book a shoot for April before March is over and receive a 15% discount! Click here to arrange a shoot!

New Product

I am very excited to announce the launch of this new product to my shop, vintage camera lens planters! A wonderful way to add a touch of vintage to your home decor.

Last year I started making planters with the various broken camera lenses I had lying around that I couldn't bring myself to throw away. They were beautiful objects, they just didn't function anymore for a myriad of reasons. After several guests complimented them I thought maybe I was onto sometime. Which brings us to todays launch! Click the image below to check them out!

Recent Work

Back in January I had the pleasure of doing a portrait session with Team U.S.A. member and Gotham Roller Girls All-Star player, Mick Swagger. She wanted to create some strong athletic portraits to help launch her derby career move of switching from player to coach. For those of you who don't know, I was an original member of Portland's Rose City Roller. I played derby for 6 years and coached for 2 years so portraits like these always have a special place in my heart.

In late January Portland had a crazy week of really heavy fog. It was so beautiful seeing the city and the bridges disappear into the fog and turned into a great backdrop for this family portrait session in Cathedral Park.

Just two weeks ago I ventured out to Mississippi Studios to photograph The Get Ahead's release of their first full length album, Volcano. The place was packed and their performance was spot on as usual. I recommend heading on over to their website and downloading the CD.

The mannequin series continues. I have been having so much fun shooting these strange scenes with all my mannequin parts. This is one of my latest and has proved to be a favorite on social media. To see more, visit my gallery.

Book Update

I have been chipping away at my to do list to make the drive-in theatre book happen. Lots of research into printers and publishers. I currently have it narrowed down to around 100 images. I am off to Hawaii this for a much anticipated vacation and will be jumping into designing the layout as soon as I return. In the mean time, I will leave you with an image from the first drive-in theatre I ever photographed.

2014 Top 10:

Hello 2015! Here we are, two weeks into the New Year and I can already tell this is going to be an amazing year. Things have been busy, visitors plentiful, and my creative mind has been on overdrive. It was nice to take a pause from future plans for a moment to reflect upon the monumental year 2014 was. Narrowing down my top 10 images of the year while always difficult, was extremely challenging this year. I found myself leaning more towards images that I not only loved but also marked huge milestones of my career and life. So without further ado, my top 10 of 2014, in no particular order.

After many months of dreaming, planning and researching, this screenshot was the first marker in making my dream a reality. Having a community behind you is a powerful thing and I am forever grateful to everyone for taking the leap and believing in me.

When I first dreamt up my drive-in theatre project I told a few people I was going to approach Honda about partnering up and letting me use a new car for my trip. I got serval doubtful laughs (a few were from myself). This photo is my proof that no idea is out of reach.

This abandoned theatre in Yerington, Nevada marked the first drive-in shoot of my trip. It was raining as we drove up and not looking promising but the skies opened up and gave me one of the most scenic backgrounds I saw on my adventure.

This abandoned drive-in theatre in Porterville, California is one of my personal favorites from the trip. I can't put my finger on what it is exactly but this image is my personal favorite from my trip.

Salton Sea has been on my bucket list since I heard about it several years ago. It was more amazing, interesting, and eerier than I could have imagined. A second trip is official on my bucket list.

Even though it seemed like 2014 was all drive-in theatres all the time, I had the chance to collaborate with another amazing artist, Francesca Berrini, on this fun small series. I hope to expand on this series more in 2015.

I love this fantasy shoot I did for an amazing family in New York City. Lucas is, a 3 year old obsessed with trucks. To capture this stage in his life I creating a sneak peek into a magical fantasy land in his room where gravity was suspended and the wonder of life was explored.

After returning from my drive-in theatre adventure, I needed a little break and some distance from the project. What started out as a challenge to do fun creative shoots before starting the rest of my day turned into a new and exciting project. See more below!

2014 was an amazing year for focusing on my craft and my own personal art but I also had a lot of amazing clients throughout the year. This shoot I did for local Portland actor Ray Callaway who wanted his head shots to be taken with film rather than digital. This is a request I don't get often but considering I still shoot a lot of film for my personal work, I was really excited for our shoot.

And last but not least, I had the pleasure to photograph this lovely couples wedding. This also marked the last obligation I had in town before I hit the road on my adventure. I try to be very selective about the weddings I shoot each year. Wedding photography can be draining and I prefer shoot a handful of wedding that get my full attention rather than spreading myself to thin. Because of that, I try hard to work with couples that think outside of the box and really want creative fine art photos rather than traditional looking wedding photography. Chris & Karrie definitely met that requirement.

Features:

I made a goal in early 2014 to start getting my work featured on more blogs, Instagram pages, and other publications to expand my audience. I was excited to meet this goal in 2014 and I am working hard this year to expand on that goal.

I started off the year right with a wedding feature on Rock N Roll Bride's website from Chris & Nikki's 2013 wedding. It was an honor to have my images featured in a publication that markets to the exact clients I am interested in working with. Unconventional, fun, and creative.

While I was on the road I had one of my drive-in theatre images from New Mexico featured on Dazed Magazine's Instagram.

And, a few weeks ago Flawless Magazine featured two images from my new mannequin series.

Art Shows:

Along with getting my work featured on the interwebs, I really wanted to focus on showing my work in person. It is such a different experience to see art work up close. I am trying to expand this goal in 2015 so if you know of a gallery or space that might be a good fit for my art, please drop me a line.

In July I exhibited 10 new images from my Shadow & Fire series at AFRU Gallery in Portland, Oregon alongside typewriter drawings from the talented Rachel Mulder.

And, as you might have seen in my last newsletter, I was a finalist in Ripe Art Gallery's "What is a Portrait" competition juried by Ruben Natal-San Miguel. I have three portraits up in this group show until January 17th.

New Project:

As I said before, I have been on a kick of getting a little weird with my mannequin collection lately. I am featuring these on Instagram long before I share them anywhere else so if you want to keep up on my latest mannequin adventures you should follow me!

Drive-In America:

I am still very hard at work on my book and set some major goals for myself. I am aiming for a July book release! If I put it out there, I know I will make it happen. Until then, here is an image from the abandoned Hilltop Drive-In, located in Joliet, Illinois.

I'm transitioning my blog into a newsletter! One easy place to share new work, upcoming shows, and other exciting information. If you aren't signed up already, join my mailing list to have newsletters delivered directly to your inbox. Want to set up a shoot, talk art, or just tell me something interesting? Feel free to drop me a line!

Prints Available:

Since getting back from my tour across the county, I'm slowly adding new images to my shop. With the holidays upon us I am offering 30% off all print, woodblocks, and framed images through December 7th just use the code HOLIDAY30.

Awkward Family Photos:

I also started a fun new tradition of shooting Awkward Family Photos. Images guaranteed to stay on the fridge of friends and family until we can top it next year. I don't think I have laughed so much during a shoot as I did during these. By the way, chickens have taken the place of cats as least cooperative animals to try and photograph.

I participated in the #blackandwhitephotochallenge. I took one B&W image a day for five days. If you don't already follow me, click here to change that! It is my favorite social media platform for sharing my work.

Drive-In Theatre Book Update:

Last but not least! I am still in the midst of narrowing down and editing photographs I took on my 65 day road trip this past summer. In the process of narrowing these down, I have caught a creative bug again and will be battling the rain in the near future to shoot a handful of images that I believe will really complete the story I want to tell. There is still a long road ahead but I am excited about the journey and will keep everyone updated as I progress. Until then, here is a recent image I have been working on.

I have been working really hard on some new work for my upcoming show, Analog: Obscured, with Rachel Mulder at AFRU Gallery in Portland, OR. Several years ago, when I was still in college, I did a project of burnt negatives. At the time I wasn't really sure why I was doing it. I think I was kind of getting fed up with school and I wanted to be destructive. Luckily, the results I got were pretty amazing. For years I have been saying I wanted to do more of these but then I got distracted and would forget. Until now! Here are some previews of what I have been working on.

These are one of those things that you kind of have to see in person. I take the 35mm film that I burned and I scan it, reprint it on larger transparency paper, and cut it to the shape of the burnt negative. If you happen to be in town July 3rd, come on out to the opening!

The other week I did a really fun shoot with the Hay family. We captured the mystery of being a toddler with a magical glowing case, snuggling in bed, and a messy but adorable trip to the donut shop. Here are a few of my favorites!

Philip-Lorca diCorcia is another photographer that has been making me drool for years and seems like a perfect addition to Inspiration Friday! The way he uses color and narrates a story is so beautiful and haunting. The power he has to create these amazing "fictional" narratives is truly amazing.

Here are just a few of his images I love but trust me, there are so many more. I recommend starting with Artnet and The Collective Shift to see more of his work!

I've been challenging myself lately to think outside the box when it comes to marketing. Postcards and business cards can be great, but they get a bit boring and are easily looked over. A few months ago, I signed up to be part of the Luxe Bridal Event VIP grab bag. I was racking my brain for something that would stand out and then a moment of genius hit!

I had seen wedding invitations a while back that were made out of old 35mm film canisters. They were creative and right in line with my business. Plus, I loved the idea of reusing something that would otherwise go to waste. Here is the final result!

They were a bit of work at first as I got over the learning curve of popping the tops off the canisters and loading my "film strip" in them. Once I got the hang of it though it was a relatively easy process and it was a great way to spend a few of the snow days we had here in Portland, Oregon. (For those that don't live here, the city shuts down at the sight of snow so the 6+ inches we got brought the entire town to a halt.)

I recently got the rare opportunity to witness the behind the scenes happenings and exactly what it takes for Sasha Rumage to create a recipe for her blog Tattooed Martha. Sasha and I had been discussing for a few months how important we both thought it would be for her readers to get a good behind the scenes look at her process. It was an important step for Sasha in her branding as it makes her more accessible to her readers. While her clean and perfect blog posts can sometimes suggest she is a superhuman ball of perfection, this gave her a chance to show her followers the space she is working with while also understanding that her process isn't always flawless and clean. And sometimes she has to get resourceful thawing butter in front of the heater for example.

Lets just say, I got my workout in trying to keep up with her. Sasha has to wear a lot of hats to make just one blog post happen and I am so glad I got the chance to help her show all of her readers that her talents go far beyond just cooking and blogging. Head on over to Tattooed Martha today for some amazing food, drink, and craft ideas and when you are appreciating those delicious cupcakes, take a moment to savior all the hard work that went into making your cooking life a little bit easier.

I am extremely honored and excited to have my wedding photography from Nikki & Chris's colorful wedding this past October featured on Rock N Roll Bride this month! Head on over to the website and see Kat's amazing write up and learn more about Nikki & Chris's unique wedding. Plus, if you are getting hitched anytime in the future, Rock N Roll Bride is a great place to start getting some creative and fun ideas!

I pull ideas and inspiration for a multitude of sources each and every day. So much of my work references movies, other artists, and other sources of inspiration. I figured maybe I would start sharing them to help inspire others.

To start this off I just had to share the coupling of my wonderful home of Portland, OR with one of my favorite contemporary photographers, Alex Prager. I absolutely love the new promo shots she did for the show Portlandia! While, part of me really wishes that a show about Portland would have picked an artist from Portland, I guess if they were going to go outside of our fair city, they couldn't have made a better choice.